Saturday, March 27, 2010

The city of Surprises

There are some places which you can't stop raving about no matter how much ever you read or write about them or visit them. They simply take you by surprise each time you are exploring those familiar lanes. They have something to offer always. But the city that you are living in, or the roads that you travel by each day - they take you by surprise? Hmmm, a bit difficult to believe right?

Actually, it is not so difficult if you live in a city like Mumbai.

They call it a City of Dreams. The city that can take you by surprise each day, each moment you live in it. Be it the ever increasing population that explodes in the train each morning; or the various political party people protesting. The serial bomb blasts in the local train that fails to stop the city; or the arrest warrant against Raj Thakrey resulting into a "Bandh".

Biggest of the things does not stop the pace; while a small thing makes us look for covers; we can do without food for a day, but not without the local train or bus. We respect our servants more than our family members; praying to God means singing Bhajans aloud in the train compartment; and comfort means getting a space to stand in the train without getting your foot stamped even once.

Still we love this city. We cannot live anywhere else if we have lived here once. And we cannot save ourselves from the surprises it throws at us. City with such an exploding population; the kind of jobs available for a normal man to survive; the efficiency they have to execute them is mind boggling to say the least. Like for example see the image below:

You will see two men sitting on the top of the hoarding. They are changing the poster and putting up a new one. Two men - one poster; one huge poster; sun is burning their back; the poster frame is hot too. Still they are working; working for livelihood.

We are blessed with a very comfortable life if you look at them!

I am yet to get over that scene and a new sight is waiting for me. Our very own BEST. It was my second ride after at least six years; the first one being a few days ago. And I had for sure failed to notice a few changes the last time in all the excitement of travelling by a BEST after so many years.

The first thing I spotted was a couple of 14" LCD TVs. And my usual belief and typical attitude made me think that they might not even be working. Then there was a cctv camera. Now a BEST where you spot more fights for the reserved seats than pick-pocketers; you do not expect a camera.

But it was indeed there. And thanks to 20 odd news channels; I had even seen once how the camera caught a man stealing 1 lac cash from one of the fellow passengers! That's Mumbai. Plastic bag will carry so much of cash and the mode of transport will be BEST.

To my greatest surprise; the TV worked too. That too; only one ad that featured John Abrahim was being played again and again!

Time has indeed changed. So has the city. The population keeps on increasing; new faces pour in each day so are the new jobs. But the city still runs ten steps ahead of you. It is difficult to keep up the pace. You are taken aback by the surprise each time you come out of your house.

I completely agree with you. It is a city of surprises, opportunities and a perfect example of national integration.It never stopped despite BHAIS-SS-MNS , it just goes on. It never sleeps.I can all this as I started working there and stayed at suburbs from Chembur to Colaba.Neha, I agree it is city of surprises. Excellent , simple post but very meaningful.

MAYANAGARI !!!loving servants more than the relatives...heee( i think it is a universal phenomenon).The hoarding picture is too good,your point comes out very clearly.I have never seen cctv in a bus before,even though i live in a land of frequent explosions...good ya,its a great security measure.And a little bit of John Ibrahim ...any time!!You live in a blessed city.Cheers !!

You have written this straight out of your heart. It so happens that even though you live in a city for many years, yet each day throws a surprise.

i cant stop myself talking about how Bangalore was and how it is now. narrow roads, hardly any vehicles on road, red buses, but now....its a high tech city. Feels jittery, as if you have gone to a new city!!!

@ BK Chowla, you know, while writing this post; I know few of my readers will understand what I feel about the city..you were one of them as you have read all my posts on Mumbai..glad you liked it :)) it really means a lot..

@ IP, your observation is haunting me till now :P

@ Nu, isn't Mumbai AMAZING? :D

@ Megha, so very true re...thank you..again! :)

@ Shail, welcome here and thank you :)

@ Kavita, you always catch these lines re that I write sarcastically..hats off buddy :) not a little bit; full half an hour of John Abrahim :P thanks :)

@ Holy Lama, about security - I feel we are equally responsible..we need to be alert too right? yes the security lacks; but the blame game does not help either..

@ Insignia, not only straight from my heart; but i have put in my heart in this post :) Bangalore is one of my favourite cities..apart from Mumbai; I think that's the only place i can see myself at.. :)

Mumbai is an Awesome city.I have been only few times, but the energy and zest the people have is amazing.....Its fast life but compared to other world cities people are still chilled out and unhurried. And no matter how many problems they face, they still manage a happy face. I feel thats the Spirit of Mumbai- To accept whatever is on offer and have a great life out of it. And not crib over it.TC

ya neha amazing how mumbai develops so fast..believe me..the vashi station u see now..i used to sit on the grass there in 80s..)hey i am not old..u u u..)see how it has changed..mumbai is absolutely charming city...

I have never been to Mumbai only heard and read about it... one thing I have seen in common about the city is that whoever has spent sometime there can't just stop raving about the city so there must be something really great about the city ... and now I too wish to experience the 'maya' of this city first hand myself :D ...

and i still love mumbai. Those beaches, overcrowded trains, panipuris and vadapavs, and yes the mumbaiyya language. And there is 1 thing my friend who has come from delhi said...if u can survive in mumbai...u can survive anywhere :)

As they say, once a Mumbaikar, always a Mumbaikar :D.City has changed a lot and is still changing. New buses, bigger potholes, old crumbling buildings standing next to neck-sprain-causing-highrises (no seriously they do!), bandra worli sea link, new political party to take over sena's reigns etc etc.. yes lot has changed :D...